Giving Back with Crafts

OK, lets get this out of the way first - today has been hot, sunny and reminiscent of the summer of 1976 (those of you who weren't born then... keep it to yourself, I feel old enough without you reminding me thank you very much!!)   So top of most people's list of things to do today probably weren't what I was doing - sitting (or rather melting) on our stall inside a shopping centre under a glass, yes I repeat... GLASS roof!   I dread to think what the temperature was but I half expected someone to come along and baste us every now and again then declare that we were done!  Needless to say, hubby and I were not in the best of moods at the end of it especially as 1. I had a stonking migraine; 2. Hubby doesn't do indoors hot; 3. Neither, it seems, do customers!

Can you believe that it was just one week ago that I was preparing to spend the rest of my life in the middle of a muddy field as getting out in our little car seemed a bridge too far!!  How quickly does it flip on its head!!   Maybe we could have some happy medium sometime (preferably on a weekend when I am due outdoors - sunny, not too windy and pleasant to be out in - really, is it asking too much?)

Anyway, you win some, you lose some and I am not here to bemoan sunny days - if we had been outdoors we would have been joyful for the sunshine and (are you listening weather Gods?) I am praying for a lovely weekend next weekend as we are at a free festival in an outdoor marquee and when it is sunny, it will be busy with lots of happy people (hopefully in the mood for spending!).  Yesterday I was on the market and it was lovely and I had a great day so overall the weekend was good.

So, it is Handmade Monday time again so I thought I would look at how craft can be used to give something back to worthy causes.   I currently have three items where donations from each sale are used to raise money for others.

These are (click on any image to see full details in the Ali's Craft Studio online shop):

1. Poppy - the one I am really proud of.  I donate part of the sale price of each of these poppies to the Royal British Legion.  In my mind one of the most worthy of causes.  I am proud to say that the cheque I send to them increases each year & I hope this trend continues...  Hubby also proudly displays one of these around Remembrance Day in his taxi.

2. Avro Vulcan - Not everyone's cup of tea but if you have ever had the privelige of seeing this magnificent machine in the air, you would want to keep the last flying example of the Vulcan fighter in the sky.  Again, a donation from each sale goes to the Vulcan to the Skies fund which raises the thousands of pounds required to keep flying.   (As a footnote, if you haven't seen and heard a real Vulcan you have the chance - weather permitting - to do so at the Shoreham Airshow where we will have a stall on 20th & 21st August.   A fantastic opportunity which isn't to be missed as who knows how many more flights will be possible!)



3 & 4 - Awareness Keyrings.   Currently I have one for Breast Cancer and one for AIDS Awareness with donations to the relevant charaties (Cancer UK & the Elton John AIDS Foundation).  There are lots of awareness ribbons and I am happy to create and donate to any given charity if someone has a preference.

It isn't a lot but I feel proud that my creativity can contribute a little to these charities and hopefully help someone else in need.   Maybe one day I will be in a position to do more but for now I will do what I can.

There are, of course, other ways to help - stall fees at fundraising events, percentages of sales given in donations, etc. are some of the other methods of giving back.

Hope you all have a great week and don't forget to head on over to Wendy's blog to see what other creative things people have been up to this week.